Collapsible table or the like



June 14, 1949. F. H. S HUFLlN COLLAP SIBLE TABLE OR THE LIKE Filed May 28, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fl.. F

' INVENTOR. Fr ELHK H. Ehuflin I BY ATTORNEY June 14, 1949. F. H. SHUFLIN' 2,472,962 0 COLLAPSIBLE TABLE OR THE LIKE Filed May 28, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

FF ELTlK. H. Ehujlin ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 14, 1949 as price COLLAPSIBLE TABLE OR THE LIKE Frank Helsel Shuflin,

signer of one-third to third to Louis Tcuby,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in furniture of the type involving a top or the equivalent, and collapsible legs which fold fiatwise along said top, and the primary object of this invention is to provide an article of furniture of this type in which a substantial component of the top is a blank from which collapsible legs and leg braces are cut and the legs and braces are arranged so that when they are collapsed they return to occupy the cut-out portions of the blank from which they are made.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a table or the like involving structure of the type indicated above, featuring compactness characterized by maximum flatness and thinness, whereby transportation and storage of a single table or the like, or a plurality thereof, are substantially facilitated.

Another important object of this invention is to provide an improved table or the like of the character indicated above which can be readily made from a variety of inexpensive materials in a variety of ornamental and practical forms.

Other important objects and features of this invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for the purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment is set forth in detail.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a table constructed according to this invention, showing the legs and leg braces collapsed.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the table, showing the legs and leg braces in operative position, and partly broken away along the lines 22 of Figure 1 to show details of construction.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the table.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the bottom of the table, showing one of the legs and its brace collapsed, and the other into operative positions out of their cut-outs in the bottom of the table, and

Figure 5 is an end perspective view of the table, showing both legs and their braces in operative position.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 6 generally designates the table top or the equivalent, which in this case consists of an upper imperforate elongated panel of relatively thin material adhered or otherwise secured to the upperside of the main or lower panel or blank 8, which is of relatively substantial character and may be somewhat thicker than the upper panel 1, so as to afford legs and leg braces, which are cut therefrom, of adequate strength leg and its brace swung Miami Shores, Fla", as-

Max Shlafrock and oneboth of Miami, Fla. Application May 28, 1946, Serial No. 672,791

(Cl. 3l184) fining, openings or cut-outs ill.

2 and mass, and provided sufficiently rigid support therefor.

While in the illustrated embodiment the upper panel I is shown as a panel and as coextensive with the lower panel or blank 8, it is obvious that the present invention contemplates any other desired form for the upper panel, in accordance with the type of furniture in which the invention may be embodied.

The two similar dual legs, which are each generally designated 9, are produced, by cutting through the blank 3, so as to form the two longitudinally arranged and longitudinally spaced oppositely disposed generally X-shaped, leg-de- By cutting through the blank 8 at opposite sides of the longitudinal middle of the blank, the two openings or cut-outs H, which define the braces l2 are produced.

The dual legs 8 produced in the above described manner, comprise the divergent leg elements or feet 23, whose outer end are formed to engage the floor or other supporting surface, and whose upper ends join with the divergent arms :4. The upper ends of the arms M are hinged to the related edges I5 of the leg cut-outs H] by hinges I6 as shown in Figure with one leaf 9! secured to the outer surface of the arms l4 and the other hinge leaf l8 secured to the underside of the blank 3, so that the legs 9 can be swung out of their cut-outs If! to their perpendicular operative positions, and back again.

The braces i2 have straight inner edges H) which are hinged at the straight longitudinal edges 29 of their cut-outs H, by hinges 2! which have one leaf 22 secured to the outer side of the brace and another hinge leaf 23 secured to the underside of the blank 8, whereby the braces can be swung out of their cut-outs to their perpendicular operative positions and back again.

It will be noted that the curved edge 24 of the brace cut-outs l l define a segment of the curved edges of the braces i2, While the curved edge 25 of the leg-defining cut-outs l0 define the remaining arcuate segment 25 of the curved edges of the braces !2, in such a way that the segments 26 and the inner edges of the arms l4 have the same curvature.

To enable the braces I?! in their perpendicular positions to firmly hold the legs 9 in their perpendicular positions, the legs have stops 21 in the crotches of the legs 9 so positioned that as the braces !2 swing downwardly they engage and are stopped in proper perpendicular positions by the stops 21. In addition, the edges of the braces have notches 28 which can be engaged with the curved inner edges of the leg arms 14 so as to positively hold the legs in perpendicular position, as the braces l2 are swung down into their operative bracing positions, with the legs 9 already in their perpendicular operative positions. Thus the legs 9 cannot be collapsed to return them to their nested flush positions in the cut-outs 10 until the braces l2 have first been swung far enough toward their final nested flush positions in their cut-outs II to disengage their notches 28 from the legs 9.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of furniture comprising a blank formed with cuts made therethrough so as to define at least two legs and a brace for each leg and cut-outs in which said legs and leg braces can nest substantially flush with said blank, and hinge means connecting edges of said legs and leg braces to corresponding edges of said cutouts whereby the said legs can be swung out of the related cut-outs to positions perpendicular to said blank and returned thereinto and whereby the said leg braces can be swung out of the related cut-outs and can be subsequently returned into their cut-outs, and means for releasably connecting said legs and leg braces to hold said legs in perpendicular positions, said hinge means comprising hinges pivoting said legs and said leg braces to swing outwardly from one side only of said blank and on axes disposed at substantially right angles with respect to each other, the outer edges of said leg braces being convexly curved and an inner edge portion of said legs being concavely curved, the curvatures being substantially similar, said convexly curved outer edges of said braces being formed with notches arranged to slidably engage the said concavely curved inner edges of the legs as the braces are swung out of nested position with said legs in perpendicular position, so as to positively hold the legs in perpendicular position.

2. An article of furniture comprising a blank formed with cuts made therethrough so as to define at least two legs and a brace for each leg and cut-outs in which said legs and leg braces can nest substantially flush with said blank, and hinge means connecting edges of said legs and leg braces to corresponding edges of said cut-outs whereby the said legs can be swung out of the related cut-outs to positions perpendicular to said blank and returned thereinto and whereby the said leg braces can be swung out of the related cut-outs and can be subsequently returned into their cut-outs, and means for releasably connecting said legs and leg braces to hold said legs in perpendicular positions, said hinge means comprising hinges pivoting said legs and said leg braces to. swing outwardly from one side only of said blank and on axes disposed at Substantially right angles with respect to each other, the outer edges of said leg braces being convexly curved and an inner edge portion of said legs being concavely curved, the curved portions having substantially similar curvatures, said convexly curved outer edges of said braces being formed with notches arranged to slidably engage the said concavely curved inner edges of the legs as the braces are swung out of nested position with said legs in perpendicular position, whereby said legs are positively held in perpendicular position and stops on the said concavely curved edges of the legs preventing said braces from being swung beyond their perpendicular positions in engagement with said legs.

3. An article of furniture comprising a plate formed in its underside with a recess including a leg receiving portion and a brace receiving portion, a leg conforming in shape to said leg receiving portion of said recess and bifurcated at its upper end to define two laterally spaced elements with a concave opening therebetween, means hinging said elements to related edge portions of said leg receiving portion of said recess whereby said leg when folded is received in said leg receiving portion flush with the underside of said plate and projects at right angles to said plate when extended, a brace conforming in shape to said brace receiving portion of said end positioned between said spaced elements on the upper end of said leg, means hinging an edge of said brace to a related edge portion of said brace receiving portion of said recess so as to be received in said brace receiving portion of the recess when folded and to project at right angles to said plate when extended, another edge of said brace being formed with a notch arranged to retainably engage an edge portion of said concave opening in the upper end of said leg when. said brace is swung from the folded position to its extended position while said leg is in its extended position, and a stop projecting from the edge of said concave opening limiting movement in one direction of said extended brace to a right angular relation to said plate when said brace is swung into the extended position, whereby frictional contact of said leg and said brace retains said leg in its extended position and said leg frictionally retains said brace against accidental movement away from said stop.

FRANK HELSEL SHUFLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Numb-er Name Date 127,484 Hirsh June 4, 1872 210,822 Thomas Dec. 10, 1878 290,932 Richardson Dec. 25, 1883 565,450 Gibson Aug. 11, 1896 896,231 Mulkey Aug. 18, 1908 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 10,261 Great Britain 1900 

